


Ignorance is Bliss

by Zimithrus1



Series: Can I Get a sliceofclack? [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Citrus scale: lime, Clack, Confessions, Drinking, Drunken Confessions, Fade Sex, Fluff, French Kissing, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Internal Conflict, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Rating May Change, Sexual Content, Their friends are pretty much their matchmakers, but they're both in denial, inner turmoil, or at least ask why they /aren't/ together, sliceofclack, zakkura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:00:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimithrus1/pseuds/Zimithrus1
Summary: Cloud and Zack really love one another - they just don't realize it yet.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Series: Can I Get a sliceofclack? [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808548
Comments: 72
Kudos: 93





	1. Training

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to upload this earlier today, but I had a bit of an issue, and now I'm actively choosing to ignore it until tomorrow 👍 
> 
> Anywho, welcome to the start of fic for the sliceofclack's 3rd theme - cliches! (And such of the like.)
> 
> Uh, what else can I say? Zack and Cloud are oblivious dorks? yeah, that sounds good.
> 
> Happy reading! Hope you enjoy! :)

“Hey, who ya textin’?” A voice asks and leans over the arm of the couch

“My student.” He responds back from the floor.

The voice that asks him the question peers over his shoulder and starts reading his messages.

“Hey,” He pulls his PHS away. “Little privacy?” He asks with a flattened brow.

“Huh, didn’t think mentors sent their students ‘usual time, usual place tonight’? And is that a _smiley face?_ ”

“We’re meeting for _training_.” He huffs and flat out closes his PHS. “Not that you would understand, Kunsel－ _you’re_ not in the Mentoring Program.”

“No, I’m not in the Mentoring Program,” The voice－Kunsel－seconds. “But I know that _you_ , my good friend, are a _horrible_ liar.”

“I’m not lying!” He protests and spins his body around, facing his friend draped over the couch. “We really _are_ meeting for training this evening!”

Kunsel reaches out and claps his shoulder. “Listen, Zack－buddy, pal, mi amigo… you don’t have to hide anything from me, ‘kay? I’ve known you since our days in the infantry.”

“Dude, I’m _not_ lying I’m telling you.” Zack repeats and shakes his head with a half-smirk on his face. “We always meet for training on Mondays at 7PM in the training room. No one’s in there that time on Mondays. It’s the _perfect_ place for my student to get some basic blade practice mano-a-mano!”

“...You aren’t just rambling in the hopes that _you_ think it’ll get _me_ to think you _aren’t_ lying, are you?

Zack blinks at him－once, twice－before his brain translates what Kunsel is trying to say.

“No, I’m not rambling because I’m lying.” He folds his arms over his chest. “That’s the one-hundred percent truth!”

Kunsel holds his hand up in surrender. “Alright, alright－if you’re _that_ set on it I guess it’s the truth.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you! For the past _year_ actually.” Zack reminds as he turns back around to lean against the couch.

Sometimes he didn’t even know why he hung out at Kunsel’s place－a flat here on the 58th floor of the Shin-Ra building－on days where he trained his student.

He’s always pressing him for the details and info on his status with his student. (Which is business on the clock and personal off the clock!) So what if he trained his best friend? If anything that was just a bonus!

He’s known his student for nearly three years, ever since they met on a Mako excursion mission near Fort Condor. The mission had been simple enough－scout the region for any area rich in Mako and report the findings afterward. Aside from the Mako Analyzer he was partnered with, he was also paired with an infantryman who happened to be lacking in field time.

Of course it ended up being his future (now present) student－a cadet named Cloud Strife.

They clicked almost instantaneously and formed a fast friendship during the mission alone. Even after that mission they’d still talk in the halls when seeing each other, or eat in the mess hall at the same time together－just to talk and catch up. Then after nearly two years of friendship and learning of Cloud’s greatest dream－to become a First-Class SOLDIER－Zack decided to enroll in the Mentoring Program and personally help his best friend achieve his dream.

They had been Mentor and Student for a little over a year now and had grown even closer as best friends. (They practically knew every last one of their secrets.) And because of that closeness, it only stirred up the suspicions of something more in the curious; Kunsel being the main example of that. No matter how many times he told him the same thing over and over again, he refused to hear it.

Him and Cloud just had a personal off-the-clock and a business on-the-clock relationship－nothing more and _nothing_ romantic.

…Maybe.

He uh, _did_ have some rather… _unethical_ thoughts that’d enter his mind during training... Like pining him down against the training mats after disarming him. Or some… _slightly_ inappropriate situations during free time… like pinning him down on a _bed_ and－

Nononono.

_Stop thinking like that!!_

Cloud probably doesn’t even like him like that! They’re not interested in one another, okay? They aren’t!

A sly smirk stretches across Kunsel’s face. “Now _that_ doesn’t look like the face of someone who _just_ _trains_ with his ‘student’.” He smirked, making air quotations at the end.

“Kunsel, shut up.” Zack huffs.

Then his PHS goes off－the custom notification sound that he assigned to his student chimes－and he answers it swiftly, completely forgetting that Kunsel is still eyeing him sneakily.

He reads his student’s message and smirks at the screen. Just as he goes to type a reply,

 _“‘I’ll definitely be there. Can’t wait to see you and train together again, I’ve missed it’._ Ooh that is _not_ something someone in a platonic friendship would say!” Kunsel giddily says.

“Hey stop reading over my shoulder!” Zack gripes as he peels himself away from the couch all together.

“Zack, c’mon man, he’s _totally_ in to you!” He exclaims as he gestures at his PHS. “You guys trained on Friday and he says he _misses_ it? It’s only been three days!”

“Cloud’s just eager to train－The SOLDIER placement exams are in a few days and he’s been really pumped about doing his best for them so he can pass this year!”

“Maybe so. But he said ‘can’t wait to see you’ _along with_ his training. Dude, if he was just pumped for his training then _why_ would he use an ‘and’ there? Kunsel points at his PHS screen, even though he can’t see the messages or screen anymore.

“It’s _faster_ to text like that! C’mon, you think we’re in the thirtieth century?” Zack shows him the buttons on his PHS “I gotta press 7 like, three times just to type out an ‘s’!”

“Gah, why haven’t you upgrade to the recent model?” Kunsel makes a face at it. “That thing looks tacky.”

“It looks _cool._ ” Zack snorts as he flips it open and shut quickly. “I can just clap this baby closed when I wanna hang up on someone－I can’t do that on a square with a glass screen!”

“Dude, you gotta drop the 90’s tech.”

“I’ll get the new model when _this one_ breaks－ _naturally_. Not ‘I’ll just throw my old one at the wall and say it got broken on a mission just so I can get the upgrade’.”

“Low blow, man!” Kunsel gasps as he places a hand over his chest.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, I gotta answer this.” Zack shakes his head and goes back to typing out a response to his student.

“Hey, do me a favor.”

“I ain’t doing _anything_ for you, drama-lover.”

“Zack, buddy－humor me.”

Zack looks at him through his eyelashes with a flattened brow. “If I _humor you_ , will you stop pestering me about my relationship with my student?”

“Bro, I will drop it for the rest of the time you’re here!” He pretends to hold something in his hands and drops it on the floor. “See? Dropped!” He smirks as he dusts his hands off.

Zack rolls his eyes. “Fine, what do you want?”

“Okay, first－you guys hang out after training right?”

“Yeah? On Mondays after training we go get some food together.”

“Oh my Goddess, how are you two _not_ romantically involved? That just _screams_ date.” Kunsel shakes his head with a hand on his face.

“Getting less humored.” Zack deadpans.

“Not my point－dropped, remember?” He gestures to the floor. “Anyway, anyway, okay; I want you to tell him _you_ can’t wait to see him _and_ to wear something _nice_ when you guys go get some grub!”

“Wear something nice? Dude, we get sweaty after training. No one likes their civilian clothes getting all sweaty.”

“Then don’t make it a sweaty, hard training day－keep it light, you get me?”

“...And _why_ do you want me to tell him this? Or _do this at all?_ ” Zack rolls his eyes, but poises his fingers over the buttons. (If he did this it _would_ get his fellow SOLDIER to stop pestering him about it.)

“I want to see what he says in response. Once I see that, then I’ll _know_ exactly what I need to know.” Kunsel smirks as he folds his arms over the arm of the couch and rests his face there.

Zack sighs and rolls his eyes so far back in his head he can practically see his own skull. But, he humors his friend.

_‘I can’t wait to see you too, Spike. And instead of wearing your fatigues for training, why don’t you show up in something nice? It’ll be an easy session this time, so I figured we could get something nice and hearty afterward. :)’._

With a sigh, he sends the message.

“There－happy?” He huffs as he claps his PHS closed.

“Yes. Very.” Kunsel beams a blinding smile.

“I’m just telling you though; we’re nothing more than friends in the Mentoring Program.”

“Sure… and I’m the Demon of Wutai.”

Zack would’ve rolled his eyes again, but he feels if he does it too much they might get stuck in the back of his head permanently.

“So, me having met the guy and knowing him a little bit… I’d say he’s gonna take longer than usual to respond to that message… and then when he does reply he might sound really shocked or nervous maybe… Or, _or,_ he’ll take the bait and give you some back in return!” Kunsel speculates, nodding his head.

“You sounds almost confident about it.” Zack muses with an arched brow and lopsided smirk.

“I mean, if we were betting money on this I don’t think I’d go all in. But if we were betting on gut intuition, oh yeah, I’m all in.”

“What, you think you know everyone?”

“If you haven’t guessed yet, I’m _scary_ good at reading and pinning people. I mean I got you pegged to the T the very first time I met you!”

“Hmm, you have a point…” Zack hums.

“Then again _you’re_ easier to read than an open _picture_ book.”

“Annnd now I’m wondering why I’m even still friends with you.”

“I’m good for business, baby.” Kunsel makes finger guns at him and makes a _tch-tch_ sound from the corner of his mouth.

Zack shakes his head and glances at the front screen of his PHS. Still no message from Cloud yet. Normally when they talk they message back almost instantaneously, even with all of the ‘press 7 three times to make an s’ inputs.

“Nothing yet?” Kunsel smiles wide.

“Hey, just because you guessed something doesn’t make it－”

His PHS goes off before he even finishes his sentence.

“Right on cue~”

He huffs at his old friend again before flipping open the phone and reading the new message on it, eyes firm in concentration. Then he makes a series of faces at it.

“So, what’d he say?”

“...I really hate you sometimes.” Zack simply says with a bored tone.

“Wait, am I right?” His head perks up from his arms. “Dude, show me, show me!”

With a lofty sigh, Zack simply tosses his PHS over.

Kunsel takes it up and reads through it with eager eyes. “‘ _Wait, you want me to wear something nice? :0’”_ He narrates aloud. (Though Zack doesn’t know how he manages to say :0 out loud.) _‘I mean... I don’t see why not, if that’s what you want. Guess I’ll see you soon then. Can’t wait to see what you’re scheming’.”_

When he tears his eyes away from the screen and they light up mischievously, Zack waves him off. “That kind of text could mean _anything!”_

 _“He’s totally nervous, Zack!”_ Kunsel exclaims with great excitement. “I can read tones, and _that_ is a nervous one! And look! He says ‘if that’s what you want’, and ‘can’t wait to see what you’re scheming’?? Dude he _totally_ likes you!”

“Why do you even care about this?” He huffs as he dips his head into his hand.

“Uh, you’re my friend?” Kunsel drawls. “Plus, I’ve known you for eight years, _eight solid years_ , and for _three_ of those years, I’ve seen a change in you.” He points at him.

“A change? Yeah right. You know as well as I do that I’m still the same ole Zack.”

“Oh yeah, your usual buffoonery hasn’t changed a bit.” Kunsel waves and laughs. “That student of yours stirred something up in you, dude. Never thought it’d happen, but you haven’t been late to a mission in nearly a _year_ and I’ve never _ever_ seen you look forward to Mondays－until recently that is. Plus, you smile like an idiot _waayy_ more than usual!”

“You’re on something, man.” Zack shakes his head. “Can I have my PHS back? I gotta get going soon.”

“Fine, fine.” Kunsel waves off before chucking the device at him. (He catches it with ease of course－his friend always had poor throws.) “And one last favor, okay?”

“No, no, no, no.” Zack shakes his head multiple times as he gets up off the floor. “I’m not doing any more favors for you. You’ve already made things awkward enough.”

“Dude, just- just hear me out.” Kunsel calls when he starts to walk towards the front door.

Zack stops, hand on the knob, and sighs so loudly he figures the neighbors could hear it through the reinforced walls. “…What do you want?” He caves.

As much as he hates doing favors for him, Kunsel is his friend. (The first friend he ever made here, actually.) No matter how many times he said he’d be done doing favors for him, he always ended up doing them anyway.

“I just want _you_ to wear something nice too.”

“...That’s it? No- crazy stipulation or another uncomfortable text?”

“Nope. That’s it.” He smirks.

Zack stares at him for a moment before sighing once more. “Okay, fine. But I don’t want to hear you talk about my relationship with my student for the _rest of the week_.”

“Done and done!” Kunsel salutes with a lopsided grin.

Zack shakes his head and pops open the front door of his old friend’s flat, then steps out and closes the door behind him with a quick wave goodbye.

Before he forgets, he makes sure to send a message back.

_‘Sounds like a plan, Stan. See you in a bit, Spiky! :)’_

He’s got places to be－and he’s got to dress for the parts now. Though, a faint thought did manage to whisper in the back of his head.

 _‘It_ would _be nice to see him in something becoming…’_


	2. Emotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luxiere helps Cloud figure out Zack's cryptic text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd here we have chapter two! Ready and raring to go! :) A big thank you to everyone who's left kudos and comments! They really do mean a lot to me 😊❤
> 
> And with that said - happy reading!

His face flushes into a nervous shade of tomato red as he stares at the PHS in his hands. He doesn’t really know _what_ to make of the message blaring in his eyes.

“Cloud? You got awfully quiet all of a sudden. You okay?” A voice asks.

Cloud－the one staring like a deer does at headlights at night－breaks his eyes away from the screen and glances over. A queasy smile tugs at his mouth. “Uh, I guess?”

“You _guess?_ What kind of response is that?” The voice titters.

“I don’t know, Luxiere. I’m not sure _what_ to make of this text.”

“From your mentor?”

“Yeah.” Cloud nods and holds out the PHS towards his friend.

Luxiere takes the device with careful hands and reads through the text, eyes slightly enlarged by the time he reads to the end. “He wants you to wear something _nice_ during training? And _then_ get something hearty? Sounds like he wants to treat you to a nice place after training.” He trades the device back to him after commenting.

“Yeah, that’s the tone I was getting too.” Cloud responds as he goes back to staring at the message. “You know him pretty well, don’t you, Luxiere? You know what he’s trying to get at here?”

“I know him a bit yeah, through Kunsel mostly. Sounds like to me he might have something special planned after your training tonight.”

“Something special?” Cloud nearly chokes on his spit at the words. “But… we’ve gone out to nice places to eat before in just our fatigues. Why… would _this_ be any different?”

“Uh, I wish I could tell you.” Luxiere shakes his head. “But I’m drawing blanks here.”

“Oh Gaia, what should I _say?_ He’s going to get like, suspicious if I don’t text back soon.” Cloud drops the PHS and decides to run his hands down his face, pulling his eyelids and dragging them down.

“Well, what _would_ you say? You’ve been practically glued to him for the past three years－you should know what to say more than me.”

Cloud sighs deeply and resigns himself to stare out the window, his reflection catching the glass as he stares out at the upper plates of Midgar.

He and Luxiere were hanging out on the 60th floor, as they usually did on Mondays before his training with his mentor－Zack Fair. They always came around dinner time because no one would pay them any mind or try to get nosy. The other cadets and personnel would be more focused with trying to cram food down their throats in a little less than an hour.

If he’s being honest with himself, he knows what he wants to say. But if he _does_ say it… it’d just make things so awkward between them. Zack is not only his mentor, but his best friend too. He doesn’t want to say something that would cross either of those boundaries and ruin what they had.

Even if he _did_ like him more than he should.

But he doesn’t think Zack likes him back like that. What they have his strictly business on the clock, and just friendly off the clock. That’s it.

…But he wish it wasn’t like that.

He groans and hides his face in his hands. Luxiere asks him if he’s okay but he tunes it out.

He can’t believe he let himself fall for his mentor and best friend.

He just can’t help it!

Zack is such a nice, caring person that always lends a helping hand whenever he－or anyone else for that matter－needs it. He has the dumbest jokes that always make him laugh, (even if they’re absolutely terrible), and he knows just how to push him, encourage him, cheer him up, or just simply _be there_ for him on his worst days.

Like the day he failed his SOLDIER placement exams, for the third year in a row. When he was at his lowest, lower than rock bottom dug straight into bedrock, Zack had been able to lift him back up and encourage him to try again.

If he hadn’t offered to be his mentor that day, he probably would have quit Shin-Ra and moved back home full of shame and regret.

And now that he’s been trained, and guided, and encouraged, he feels like he can pass the next upcoming placement exam with _flying_ colors! Though remembering it was less than a week away made him nervous beyond belief. What if he failed again? No. He shakes his head against the table before raising it back up.

He wasn’t going to think like that. Right now, he had to think on how to answer his mentor’s interesting proposition.

“Cloud? You okay there?” Luxiere nervously laughs.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” He responds with a sigh. “Just thinking about how to respond to this…”

“Well, I know from what you’ve told me that you like him, and if he’s asking out of the blue to see you in something nice for training _and_ for a meal out… it sounds to me like something more than _just_ a friend might ask for.”

“...You think?” Cloud makes a queasy face at him.

“Yeah, that’s what _I_ think.” He smirks back. “So, I think you should say something that _might_ cross that line a little, but word it to where it looks like it doesn’t.”

“Okay, I think I see what you mean…” He pulls his PHS back into his hands and poises his thumbs over the buttons.

He thinks for a moment, then starts to type out his response.

He doesn’t even give himself time to over-think it or read it over and over again. The moment he finishes typing, he sends it.

“So, what did you say?”

“I told him that… I’d wear something nice if that’s what he wanted, and that I couldn’t wait to see what he’s scheming.”

“Ooh, nice!” Luxiere praises with a thumbs up. “Toes over the line, but keeps it sounding neutral!”

Cloud rubs the back of his head with his hand－a nervous trait he actually picked up from Zack－and sheepishly titters.

Now he just had to wait for the response back.

It takes a minute, a tick longer than a usual wait, but his PHS does go off rather soon. He swipes it up quickly and reads through it with nervously excited eyes.

“What’d he say back?”

Cloud scoffs out a laugh. “‘Sounds like a plan, Stan’.” He quotes. “But he also called me Spiky again.”

“Ohh, his nickname for you?”

He nods in response.

“If anything, I’d say this training session and impromptu nice dinner might be an eye opener, either for him or you… maybe even both of you.”

“Sure.” Cloud rolls his eyes, then stands up from the table they were sitting at. “I guess I better go make myself look nice.”

“Right! Let me know how it goes, okay?” Luxiere smiles.

“Will do.” He nods again.

Now he just has to make it through the rest of the night hoping that he might not just be imagining his mentor starting to show signs of liking him.

He wants to know so badly, wants to ask him if he likes him, or even just wants to do something so out of character for him－like grab him by the collar of his shirt and lay one on his stupid, joke-cracking mouth.

But he doesn’t want to know at the same time.

What if he’s wrong? What if his mentor and friend only saw him as that and nothing more?

He wonders if he’d be able to handle that rejection if that line ever did get crossed.

He shakes his head and walks on.

He’d rather keep living like this, swallowing his emotions and burying them deep in his heart, if only it meant he wouldn’t have to lose the most important person in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now we know what's going through Cloud's head 😉 next chapter should spice some things up a bit, like a well-seasoned meal! Don't hesitate to let me know what you thought or if you liked it or anything else of the like!
> 
> Next chapter tomorrow~ 😊


	3. Confliction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *singing* it's gettin' hot in here~ 🌶

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the fuck kind of summary is that and why would I do that? 😂  
> Uh, dunno! XD
> 
> Anyway, I'm not sure what to really say, other than, I hope you like the chapter! 😊

Cloud’s nervous.

He’s so, so nervous his fingers are trembling at his sides.

He clenches his hands to tightly balled fists and takes a deep, steady breath.

 _‘We’re just training, then going out to eat as usual. Nothing new about that at all.’_ He tells himself.

Though he glances to the outfit he’s currently wearing and the steady breath he once had vanishes fast. The only normal thing here is that he’s not in his fatigues－he’s in his nice civilian clothes.

It’s nothing too fancy, just a white shirt with a blue throw-over and slightly baggier than normal black pants.

But still.

Why would Zack－his mentor and best friend－ask him to come to training in nice clothes? He knew they’d be going somewhere a touch classier to grab their grub afterwards, but _that_ wasn’t anything new. They had eaten at nicer places before.

So why the nice clothes now?

The only way to find out would be to step past the door of the training room, but his nervous jitters kept his feet cemented to his spot right outside.

The thought of turning around to change back into his fatigues jumps into his head, but he exhales noisily and runs a hand through his hair instead. He couldn’t change now, not when he already told Zack he’d wear something nice.

The whole situation is just so weird and awkward.

Okay, he can’t stand out here and over-think forever (even though he’d like to, just to postpone the inevitable.) So with a heavy conscious and a feeling of nervous dread in his gut, he steps forward and the mechanical doors whir their way open.

The first thing his eyes lock on to in the large training room isn’t the equipment, or the lockers, the training mats on the floor or anything else of the like, but he sees the back of his mentor.

He’s slowly pacing back and forth in almost a tight circle with a hand to his chin.

And he’s _also_ wearing nice clothes and not in his fatigues.

He’s got on a light orange muscle shirt that fits his form nicely, and he can see the faint glimmer of his dog tags around his neck. And his pants are slim, a bit form-fitting as well and he’s also wearing black calf high boots.

He… looks good.

It makes Cloud feel both hopeful and dejected at the same time.

_Best if he doesn’t jump to conclusions or get his hopes up._

But if anything he’s more surprised Zack didn’t hear him come in. (And that’s _with_ SOLDIER enhanced senses too.) Then again he does look like he’s lost in some uncharacteristically deep thoughts.

He raises his hand and is about ready to call out, but before he can, a thought enters his head.

_‘Scare the shit out of him’._

And a devious smile spreads across his face as easy as warm butter on toast.

It’s rare when he’s able to get the jump on his friend. Normally, _he’s_ the one being scared all the time.

Being as quiet and careful as he can, Cloud sticks to Zack’s blind spots during his pacing, even pausing when he does. He’s honestly really surprised how close he’s getting without being detected. And once he’s right behind his mentor…

 _“Two-! Three-! Four-! Five-! Everybody look alive-!”_ He rhythmically chant-shouts.

Zack practically jumps out of his skin and stumbles forward with a cry of surprise. He whips around lightning fast with a hand over his chest and bugged blue eyes.

Cloud giggles and points at him. “Got you~!”

His mentor/best friend continues to stare at him with those bugged eyes and his hand still over his chest.

Is he… stuck in a stare? Or… did he break him?

“Uh, hello?” He calls, waving his hand in front of his blank face. “You in there, coach?”

It’s then Zack finally shakes his head and allows himself to breathe, the sound of his metallic dog tags jingling with. “I, uh,” He coughs into a fist. “Wasn’t expecting that.” He nervously laughs after and rubs the back of his head with his right hand. (There’s actually a blush on his face.)

Why does he sound so spaced out? That’s not like him at all. His mentor may be a bit distracted half the time, but he’s usually focused to the max on their training days. What makes today so different?

Ah, right. They’re not wearing their uniforms.

Right. They’re eating someplace nice afterward.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

That makes the nervousness and dread in Cloud’s stomach return, and it churns with a sharp, stabbing pain, (like he ate a bunch of pointy rocks for lunch).

“Cloud? _You_ okay?” Zack suddenly asks.

Now the board has been flipped and now it’s Zack who’s being attentive to his current, spaced-out state. He looks at him with such kind, concerned Mako blue eyes that it makes his stomach tighten.

_‘Don’t look at me like that.’_

“Yeah, I’m cool. Guess it just startled me how much I startled you!” He deflects, mirroring his mentor’s moves by rubbing the back of his head too.

Those kind eyes sparkle and smile all their own. “First time for everything, huh, Spike?” His voice playfully dances as he reaches out and ruffles his hair himself.

_‘Don’t touch me like that.’_

“Guess so.” He smiles back.

“But wow,” Zack breathes with a soft laugh. “You look good in that.” Those blue eyes are so warm and inviting now.

_‘Stop making me fall for you.’_

“Funny, I was just about to say how nice you clean up.” Cloud retorts with a teasing grin.

His mentor looks shocked. “You make it sound like I’m a hobo!”

“Wait, you mean you _aren’t?_ ” He cocks his head to the right.

Zack’s mouth drops open and his eyes bug again. But he’s quick to re-write the expressions on his face and change it into something that looks playfully annoyed.

“You little weasel! Get over here!”

He’s suddenly swept into a headlock and knuckles press into the top of his head, mussing up his hair and giving him quite the effective hair-styling.

“Take it back!” Zack laughs brightly.

“Never!”

“Okay, that’s _it_ _－_ training starts _now!_ ”

“Wait- what-? How am I supposed to train while in a headlock? Zack, let me go!”

“No way, Spike! You got yourself into this now _you_ get yourself out!”

The headlock doesn’t even hurt and his grip isn’t as strong as it normally is. (Then again he did say today would be an easy training day.) He tries to maneuver around in the hold, but the loose grip remains. He isn’t going anywhere unless he works for it.

He coils his hands around Zack’s arms and tries to forcibly pry his arms away from his neck, but that doesn’t work either.

He tries to wedge his arms through the lock around his neck, but the gap there closes the moment he makes his move. Can’t do that either.

“Just say mercy and I’ll let you out easy.” Zack smugly grins at him, the playful lights in his eyes dancing wildly.

“ _Hell_ no!” Cloud denies. “And _let_ you win? Absolutely not!”

“Okay then, have fun trying to wiggle your way out!”

So he can’t pry Zack’s iron-hard grip off him, and he can’t wedge his own limbs into the mix either. He doesn’t want to actually hurt him either, so clawing him or trying to step on his feet or rack him in the nards are out.

His face is practically right next to Zack’s side. He can actually see some skin underneath his muscle shirt if he－

No. No. Not thinking like that, nu-uh.

He’s got to think of a _practical_ way out of this.

…

_‘Kiss him.’_

No, no no no he’s _not_ doing that－ _bad_ brain!

_‘Touch him.’_

NO!

_‘Rephrase_ _－_ _startle him in a way he wouldn’t expect you to.’_

Okay, okay he might be able to manage that. He could use his hands and try to poke at his mentor’s side not currently shielded by his shirt.

Yeah, yeah, he’ll do that!

But then his brain short-circuits and before he even has time to think about it, he pushes his head forward and licks his side.

 _“Wh_ _-_ _What the??”_ Zack nervously cries.

But the headlock abruptly breaks away and Cloud stumbles back with a horrified expression on his face.

Did he…. did he just… _lick his mentor??_

_‘OhGodesswhydidIlickhimohmyGoddesswhatintheabsolutefuckwhywouldI_ _－_ _’_

“Did you just _lick_ me, Spike?” Zack’s tone is shocked and his eyes play that part too.

Cloud’s hectic thoughts sow themselves to his mouth and he’s quickly spouting, “I－I didn’t mean to, I, I was just- just trying to figure out h-how to get out of the headlock and I－”

“Oh, it’s _on_ now!” A devious smile cracks across Zack’s face like wild lightning and he starts to approach him with fast, powerful strides.

“Wait, Zack no, I wasn’t thinking－don’t do this!” He frantically pleads as he starts to back off, walking backwards and holding his hands up in surrender.

His best friend continues to advance toward him, the deviant glint in his eyes sparking wildly and that electric smirk branches wildly.

“C’mon, I－I was messing around, Zack, wait!”

But that’s all he can get out before he’s grappled by his upper arms and held tight, tighter than the headlock he had previously been in.

“An eye for an eye~”

And then Zack licks him back, but he takes it up a notch by licking him on his _cheek._

“Oh Goddess _eww!_ ” He whines and twists his head away. “Why are you licking my _face_ I didn’t lick _your_ face!”

“What, you want me to do it again?” Zack hums and the dark, lightning smirk on his face grows wider and brighter.

“No, no, _absolutely_ not!” Cloud shakes his head and tries to step back, but those arms are tight and even though he’s moving, so is his mentor. “Don’t you－! Get that tongue away from me－!”

As he backs up, the back of his heel connects with a blue sparring mat laying on the ground and suddenly he’s falling back. Both he and Zack let out a cry of surprise as they fall onto the mat with a muted _thump_. The impact takes the breath from their lungs and they groan in tandem. Once recovered from the shock, Cloud realizes they fell in a compromising position and now there’s a bright red blush on his face and he can barely breathe.

Zack’s draped over him, bodies touching, and his dazed eyes are staring directly into his－their faces only inches apart.

Now a blush breaks across his best friend’s face and paints it pink, but at the same time, they both don’t try to break away or apologize. It’s almost like… like they _both_ want to stay like this.

No, no that can’t be right.

Zack can’t _possibly_ like him like he does. There’s no way his best friend and mentor likes him like that.

But a hand reaches out and brushes over his cheek, pushing some of his blond hair from his face, and his eyes look so lost. But it’s weird because he’s staring at _him_ like that.

Those lost eyes look into his, then dart to his lips or his chin maybe, and then they’re back to his eyes. Then his eyes lid faintly and he starts to lean in and…

wait－is he… about to _kiss him??_

“I, uh,” Cloud stammers, swallowing a thick lump in his throat.

It’s then Zack’s eyes snap back to normal and he hurriedly pulls himself away. “Oh, oh shit,” He curses (surprisingly－Zack’s not one to cuss), and quickly pulls himself away. “I, uh, don’t know what I was thinking there, sorry…”

“It’s, okay…” Cloud responds as he sits back up, clearing his throat and hoping his blush hadn’t grown any darker.

Now there’s an awkward air between them.

“So uh, you wanna just… call it early on training and get some food?” Zack side-tracks, thumbing behind him.

“Y-Yeah.” He nods.

Hopefully the awkward air around them dissipates by the time they get to wherever it is they’ll be eating.

Otherwise he won’t know how to act for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These dorks I swear what am I gonna do with them? Probably write them getting together after being dumb for a bit - yeah, that sounds about right 😉
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and that it was cute and well-seasoned enough!
> 
> Next one tomorrow~!


	4. Twilight Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've come a long way from where they've started - though for Cloud, he's got so much more hidden deep down inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the next chapter! A bit late, I know. I've been out all day and just now got the time to sit down and upload this thing 😅
> 
> With that said, happy reading! 😉

“So… this restaurant we’re going to…” Cloud drawls, walking down the streets with his hands locked behind his back.

Dusk is settling upon Midgar like a soft twilight-coated blanket embroidered with the glimmer of far away stars. The air is cool and the breeze is slight, ruffles the clothes and brings about the scent of mid-summer.

Streetlights are starting to turn on as he walks, the lights flicker to life the moment he passes by. As his vacant eyes trail across the lighting lights, they pass by before connecting with those of his best friend and fellow mentor.

Zack’s eyes catch the twilight and shimmer like soft sand under a full moon as they stare ahead. But those distracted eyes turn and gaze into his own when he realizes he’s being spoken to.

Cloud jogs ahead a little further before he spins on his heel and walks backwards, facing his best friend’s tall form with his hands still clasped behind his back. “...Where are we eating, exactly?”

The vacancy in both their eyes drift away like smoke when they meet and stare. Then he’s given a trademark Zack grin－bright and crooked.

“Well, wouldn’t _you_ like to know?” He muses as he tucks his hands behind his head as he walks.

“Yeah, I would like to know. That’s, kinda why I asked.”

“I think I’ll keep it a surprise.”

Zack’s twinkling eyes wink at him and the lopsided grin on his face stretches wider. The light of the dim twilight stars shines in his ivory smile.

“Why would you do that? What if you… pick a place that I don’t like?” Cloud blurts. “If I don’t know where we’re going then I won’t know what to order when we _do_ get there.”

Actually, if he’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t care where they go out to eat. He knows how well Zack knows him, so he’s not worried he’ll pick a place he won’t like.

He just wants to keep their usual, normal conversations going.

After that little awkward tumble they had in the training room earlier, he felt like he needed some normality back in the day. What better way to get that back then to distract himself with their usual banter?

He just wants to pretend he doesn’t really have feelings for his best friend and mentor, that they’re just really close friends and that’s all it ever will be. Because that’s better than throwing everything they’ve built on the line and jeopardizing the relationship they _do_ have: as friend and student.

If he dangers that, then he might be left with nothing in the end. It’s best to stuff everything deep down and ignore what tries to squeeze out of the cracks.

No matter how it hurts.

“Cloud, I know you well enough to know what places you do and don’t like.” Zack waves a finger at him and cocks his head. “You know I wouldn’t make you eat somewhere you didn’t like.”

“I guess not.” Cloud sighs as he turns back around to walk forward, unclasping his hands from behind his back and folding them over his chest instead.

Zack jogs a bit faster to fall into an even stride with him again, and he’s given another goofy grin when he walks beside him. “I think you’ll like the place I’ve got picked out.”

“Alright.” Cloud caves in and tucks his head back, eyes reflecting the twilight stars. “Guess I’ll have to take that risk and trust you.”

“A _risk?_ ” Zack gasps, feigning audacity. But Cloud can tell by the playful light dancing in his eyes he’s not actually upset. “You make it sound like trusting me is hazardous!”

“What, you mean it _isn’t?_ ” He sneers with a dark grin on his face, well knowing the reaction his response would bring about.

“Oh, you!” Zack huffs and nudges him a little.

It just makes Cloud laugh as he wobbles a bit. It’s easy to regain the posture he had, and once he has it he nudges his best friend back. His form wobbles too and returns to its original shape just like his had.

Then Zack glances ahead makes a noise of realization. It makes Cloud look towards where he’s staring, and his starry-eyes catch a familiar little place.

It’s Enzo’s Eatery. The green and orange neon sign catches his attention first, then the metallic building painted to look like bricks fills his eyes, as do the colorful little strips of ribbon that line the awning above and nearby the front door.

Cloud recognizes it as the only restaurant in town that serves native Nibelheim dishes almost as good as the stuff back home.

Not only that, but it was also－

“The first restaurant I ever brought you to the moment we became friends.”

He glances over with shock on his face. Zack finished the thought in his head before he even had the time to think it. His best friend’s eyes are on him and he’s smiling so softly now.

“...Right?” He clarifies and cocks his head again, a full-blown ivory smile shining in the twilight.

“Y-Yeah.” Cloud nods and breaks his gaze away.

_‘Why do you have to look at me like that?’_

“C’mon, Spike－let’s go get a table.”

Zack pats his upper back before gently nudging him forward. He finds himself walking up to the restaurant with his best friend’s hand still barely touching him.

It’s almost too much for him to handle.

Before Zack has the chance to do anything else that might even _remotely_ remind him of a date, Cloud rushes forward and opens the front door himself. A little bell dingles above his head as he steps through.

“I could have gotten that for you.” Zack says as though it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Please, Zack, I’m perfectly capable of opening doors.” He rolls his eyes and resorts to his usual sass.

Come to think of it, his best friend/mentor _would_ always get the door for him every time they went out to eat. Surely he didn’t… No, no. He was just being nice and courteous like he is to everyone. Just because he always got the door for him didn’t mean he secretly liked him.

Zack shrugs his shoulders and hums. “Alright then.” He dismisses.

Cloud goes to open the next door that separates the entryway from the actual restaurant, but suddenly a hand shoots out and yanks the door open before he even has time to reach out.

He whips his head over to the right to see Zack opening up the door anyway with a huge, quirky smile slapped crooked on his face. “My hand slipped.” He lies nonchalantly with bright, glimmering eyes.

“S-Sure it did.” Cloud huffs as he turns his face away and steps forward into the building.

“Good evening, gentlemen!” A voice calls. A look ahead reveals a greeter by a podium smiling professionally at them. “Welcome to Enzo’s. Would you two like a booth or table?”

“Either’s fine.” Zack responds.

“Alright,” The greeter says as he gathers up two menus from under the podium he’s standing behind. “If you would follow me.” He says as he steps away.

They follow the greeter down an aisle that has yet to have any people sitting there. Then they round a corner, walk down that hall, turn another corner, and soon they’re walking towards the back of the restaurant close to the bar.

And they’re lead right to the booth they sat in the first time Zack brought him here－wedged into the left corner right next to a big bay window with a breath-taking view of the world beyond Midgar, not shadowed by Mako or their respective reactors. Another booth lay across from that and the bar is visible from their spot.

“Will this be fine?” The greeter asks as he gestures to the freshly wiped down table.

“Yeah, here’s perfect.” Zack agrees with another bright grin.

“Alright, you guys get comfortable and I’ll send a server your way.” The greeter gives them one last polite smile before he sets the menus down and walks away.

“Well, how prophetic is this, Spike?” Zack smirks, ruffling his hair before claiming the booth against the back wall. “The same booth as last time too.” He recalls.

“Yeah, pretty wild.” Cloud agrees as he takes a seat on the other side of the booth.

It feels almost as though he slides into an old version of himself once he’s sat and comfortable. He can see a young version of his best friend as almost a silhouette right next to Zack－a younger, fuller face with bouncier hair and his defined single strand hanging in his eyes not near as long as it is now. Even the hazy form of a First-Class uniform appears to fit him fresh.

And when Cloud moves to pick up his menu, he can see his old gloves over his hands even though he’s not wearing them.

He glances out of the window and its his reflection that shows his own younger silhouette right next to him－round, tender face with bright hopeful eyes, a lankier frame than the one he wore now, and his hazy infantry uniform seemed like it used to be so loose on him, like he still had some growing to do in it.

Except so much had changed since then.

Cloud’s not nineteen anymore, and Zack’s not twenty anymore either.

Now here they sit, three years later at twenty-two and twenty-three with their lives moving in directions they never thought they’d be moving.

And also carrying deep, dark wants and desires locked away where no one could see them. At least, that’s how it was for Cloud…

He sighs heavily. He just wishes he had never fallen for him. It’d be so much easier to get through tonight if he hadn’t.

“Cloud?” Zack’s voice suddenly phases in.

He peels his eyes away from the window and turns his vacant sights toward his present-day mentor. He’s looking at him with that kind, concerned glimmer in his eyes again and it makes his breath hitch.

“You got awfully quiet. You okay?” He asks with a light frown at the corners of his lips.

“Yeah.” Cloud nods. “I’m fine.” He dismisses as he opens his menu and distracts his eyes with it.

Zack’s silence makes him fidget at first, but then he says, “Okay.” and looks at his own menu.

He suppresses the intense urge to breathe a sigh of relief; if his best friend stares at him like that any longer he’d lose his mind.

He rolls his eyes to the back of his head and frowns.

 _‘Why did you have to make me fall for him, you stupid fool?”_ He thinks, turning his own thoughts against him as though he weren’t himself. _‘You don’t get to have it all, Cloud. You either keep him where he is now, or you lose him altogether_ _－_ _take your pick.’_

He rolls his eyes back down and to his menu again.

He should focus on finding something to eat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh I had way too much fun writing this chapter out 😁 I love getting into the character's heads in a poetic way sometimes haha!
> 
> Well, I hope you enjoyed it, and don't be shy to let me know if you did, or have anythign else you'd like to say/ask! 😊
> 
> Next chapter tomorrow~!


	5. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud figures in order to get through the night, he might have to drink something alcoholic - and Zack won't stop asking him why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for all of you lovely people~! I wanna say thanks so much to everyone that's given kudos or reached out with comments, it really does mean more than you know! 💗 Can't believe the next chapter is gonna be the last one again! Where is the time going?
> 
> Anyhow, with that said - happy reading! 😊

“No way. _You’re_ getting a _drink?_ ”

“...Yeah?”

“A hurricane. A _hurricane._ Cloud, you _do_ know that’s alcoholic right?”

“Of course I know it’s alcoholic－I wouldn’t be getting it if it wasn’t.”

Their server giggles as she writes down his drink order on her notepad.

Of course he’s getting an alcoholic drink. If he wants to make it through this dinner without his thoughts upsetting him, then he _has_ to get one.

He can’t stop thinking about how much－too much－he cares for his best friend and mentor. (Especially after the compromising position they were in during training－they were pressed against one another and they _both_ look like they wanted it.) Getting through this dinner with these kinds of thoughts and scenarios pinging around in his head would be next to impossible if he didn’t get some liquid assistance.

As long as he remembers not to get too tipsy, then he’ll be able to quiet his thoughts and stuff them back in their cages with ease.

“Alright, so one very alcoholic hurricane for you.” The server scribbles down. “And how about you, sir? Fancy a drink as well?” She directs her question towards Zack.

Zack blanks for a moment, then his eyes turn deep with thought and he rumbles out a hum. Those deep eyes glance at him, and for once, Cloud can’t read the emotion behind them.

“Y’know what, sign me up for an alcoholic beverage too,” He says as he pulls his eyes away from him and toward their server. “Make it a rum and soda, on the rocks please.”

“Alright, a rum and soda…” She scribbles that down too. “Okay. I’ll go get these drink orders over to the bar! Be back shortly!”

She briefly courtesies and smiles before spinning on her heel and making her way to the bar.

Once she’s completely out of sight, Zack turns his playful eyes back at him and makes a faint noise of surprise.

“What?” Cloud huffs. “I like to have a drink every now and again, so what?” he folds his arms over his chest and flattens his brow.

“Cloud, I’ve only ever seen you drink after something embarrassing happens, _or_ you’re trying to hide something. You don’t _just drink._ ” Zack points out as he folds his arms over the table and leers at him.   
“So which is it? You shy about something or are you _hiding_ something?” He lifts one hand up and points it at him.

“I’m not doing _any_ of those things.” Cloud waves off. “A drink just, sounded nice tonight, okay?”

“Uh-huh, and I thought a kick in the nuts sounded nice－who’d’ve thunk?”

“Zack I’m telling you, I’m not trying to hide anything, or whatever it is you think I’m doing.”

His best friend only arches an eyebrow at him and a snarky half-smirk tugs at the corners of his bow-shaped lips.

A red blush bursts across Cloud’s face. “Why don’t you just figure out what you want to eat and not try to dissect my brain.” He harrumphs as he pulls his menu up to his face and looks through it.

“Fine, that’s cool. You don’t have to tell me what’s _really_ going on.” Zack drops his speculations and picks up his menu instead. “I’ll find out soon enough.” He mentions.

“And what’s that supposed－”

“Okay, here we are~” The voice of their waitress suddenly trills.

The hurricane Cloud ordered is set down in front of him in a pear-shaped glass, the yellow-orange liquid glimmers faintly in the soft orange lighting of the restaurant. Even the orange and blueberry garnish caught the soft lighting and gently glowed.

“A hurricane for the blond gentleman,” She displays. Then she sets Zack’s dark-colored drink down in front of him in a squatty whiskey glass full to the brim with ice. “And a rum and soda on the rocks for the dark-haired gentleman.”

“Ah, thanks.” Zack smirks.

“Yes, thank you.” Cloud parrots.

“My pleasure.” She smiles. “And have you two figured out what you’d like to order?”

Cloud didn’t even know why he bothered looking at his menu－he always got the same thing every time here.

“I’ll have the chicken pot pie.” He says. (It’s the only dish that tastes the closest to the way his mother cooks.)

“Make that two.” Zack seconds.

“Alright, two pot pies it is! Let me get those menus out of your way and I’ll get your order to the cooks!”

So they both hand her the flimsy black menus with courteous smiles, and she returns the gesture with one of her own. Once she has the menus bundled up in her hands, she gives them a parting grin before walking away again.

“Well,” Zack mentions as he takes his glass into his right hand. “That was fast.” He chuckles before he takes a sip.

“Guess a lot of people don’t order drinks on Monday nights.” Cloud shrugs as he unwraps a straw sitting idly by his silverware.

“Or go out to eat at all.”

“That too.”

Cloud pulls the straw from its wrapper, crumpling up the paper in one hand while the other dips the straw into the drink. An urge to flick the paper wad at his best friend comes to mind, but he quells that thought before it voices itself and decides to stir his drink with the straw instead.

“Seriously though,” Zack mentions, causing him to glance at him through his eyelashes while he still stirred. “You _sure_ there’s no reason why you just decided to order something boozy?”

Cloud huffs out a rough exhale from his nose and flattens the natural curve in his brow. “Yes I’m sure.”

(His best friend knows him way too well.)

“Okay, okay,” He surrenders, one hand up while the other pulls his rum concoction to his lips. “Just making sure you aren’t, I don’t know…” A faint trace of pink actually manages to bloom across his face. “…still freaked out about what happened during training today, or something.”

Cloud’s ears heat up and he can feel nervous steam seeping from his skin. If he were in a cartoon there’d be steam blowing out of his ears followed by a loud, long train whistle.

That’s right…

They fell during training and then… then Zack looked like he might… _kiss_ him.

His face flushes redder than a chili pepper and to keep himself still and silent, he instantly grapples his straw into his mouth and starts to suck at his drink.

“Cloud, you’re not… upset about what I almost, uhm… _might_ have done－are you?”

Cloud sharply inhales (some of the drink going straight down the wrong pipe), before sputtering into his straw and bubbling his beverage over the rim and onto the table, the redness in his face so strong it blotches down his neck and around his collarbone.

_“Wh-What_ _－_ _ahem_ _－_ _do you_ _－_ _hem_ _－_ _mean? I_ _－_ _”_

“Spike, do me a solid and breathe.” Zack’s tone is light but pressed.

Cloud stops trying to explains himself and focuses on coughing up a lung behind his hands, muting the sound of him practically choking. His eyes water and his throat burns by the time he can finally catch his breath and calm his coughs down. He blinks the moisture out of his eyes and takes in a deep breath once, then twice, just to make sure it’s all out of his system.

“You good?”

His eyes gaze ahead and lock with Zack’s, and his expression is pulled up tight. Though a hint of nervousness still remains in the corners.

He just answers the question with a nod.

His best friend nods back before tipping his drink back and taking a deep swig from it, the ice cubes tinkling against the glass.

“Y’know what, I think I’ll drop the interrogation. Let’s just enjoy this dinner out, yeah?” The smile that spreads across his face wipes the nervousness away.

“Y-Yeah…” Cloud agrees with a hesitant nod.

Even though he just got done choking on his bitterly sweet drink, he goes back to slurping at the straw again. Now he’s gotta drink _twice_ as much to erase the embarrassment he suffers from.

Thankfully, their waitress comes back with their food shortly after.

At least now he can focus on something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter as always! The next one will be the last~ 😓 but it's been fun! 🎉
> 
> See you tomorrow~!


	6. Liquid Lucidity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These dorks finally tell each other they like one another

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, once again at the end of the line~ How on earth do these weeks go by so fast? I'm gonna be sad when the sliceofclack event is over! I've never been /this/ productive before! 😓😂
> 
> Many thanks to all who've read, you all warm my wounded little heart! 🤕💔🥰
> 
> With that said, happy reading~!

His head is warm and his gut feels full and comfortable. He feels like he could lay down on the restaurant table and take a nap bundled up in the tablecloth. (If he pushes their dirty/empty plates from their dinner off the table first.)

But at the same time he feels so light and giddy, giggly and giggling as though he were watching a comedy on TV back home. His body feels a bit like mush, or gelatin. When he moves, his limbs feel like they wobble and even his hair feels thick and wriggly.

He uh, _might’ve_ had too many hurricanes. (If the empty, pear-shaped glass off to the side had anything to say about it.)

And now he was halfway through his second drink of the night, feeling tipsy and light and fluffy－but surprisingly not heavily drunk. (He may be bit of a lightweight, but he has _some_ tolerance.)

His eyes, half-lidded and grinning on their own, glance up and across the table to where his best friend/mentor sits.

He’s downed his first drink, and his second, and now he’s nursing his third glass not even halfway finished yet. There’s the faintest of pink blushes on his face, so if anything he’s probably a bit on the tipsy side, but probably not as far gone as he is. (SOLDIERs do have a harder time getting inebriated.)

It’s like his best friend can feel him staring, because he tilts his head up just moments after he does start staring. His Mako blue eyes are slightly dilated and that’s how Cloud knows he’s a bit tipsy. Then he’s given a big, lopsided smile and follows it with a pretty cute titter.

“Coming to eat out here was a pretty good idea! Nice n’ full now! I gotta thank Kunsel later for th’ suggestion.” He grins and takes another sip of his drink.

Cloud cocks his head to the right gently. “You hangin’ out with Kunsel earlier?”

A sloppy nod follows. “Yeah, he was giving me some advice.”

“Oh?” He cocks his head even further and copies the grin. “What could Zack Fair First-Class Extraordinaire need advice on?”

Zack rubs the back of his head and the pink in his cheeks flushes brighter. “Heheh, I think you’d be surprised about that, Spiky. There’s _lots_ of things I’m not good with~”

“That’s true,” Cloud rights his head and his grin grows full-blown. “You aren’t very good at being organized, orr…”

“...Heyy!” Zack drawls out a sloppy retort and sets his drink down. “I’ll give you the organized bit, but what’s with the ‘or’, Spiky?”

The alcohol trilling through his veins and bleeding in his brain completely takes away his filter. “You can’t read a room, and obvious signs go waaay over your head! It’s like, someone could like you and you wouldn’t even know!”

But the moment that last sentence leaves his lips, his eyes bug and he quickly slaps his hands over his mouth.

Did he… did he really just _say that out loud??_

Zack gives him a confused look and his brows furrow in what might be thought. “You… might have a point there…” He mutters.

 _Nononono he didn’t mean that!_ Quick, how does he take it back?? How does he unsay something already said?? Is it possible to wipe someone’s memories by staring at them hard enough??

Cloud’s face is dangerously red and he doesn’t even want to breathe. He can’t, _can’t_ let Zack figure out he likes him! He just _can’t!_ It’ll ruin _everything_ they have!

“It’s just cause you－you’re oblivious to those kinda things, and－” He finds himself sputtering the moment he takes his hands from his mouth.

He’s got to find a way to change the subject, and _fast,_ before his best friend puts two and two together.

“－You’re just a pretty spacey guy, y’know? I mean I am too, heck I’d, I’d forget my own birthday if I didn’t do anythin’ to celebrate it every year!” He nervously laughs and rubs the back of his head.

“...”

Zack doesn’t say anything. He sits there quietly with his brow furrowed and his eyes still trapped in deep thought.

“Seriously, I’m just kiddin’, Zack. It’s not somethin’ you gotta－”

“...Cloud?”

He winces as though someone tried to cut him, but he can’t stop the hesitant “…Yea?” from coming out of his mouth.

But Zack doesn’t say anything after that. He still keeps his eyes glued to his sweating drink on the table with a furrowed brow. He looks so conflicted, or, maybe silently angry? He usually does furrow his brow like that when he’s quietly fuming about something.

But then he makes move. He slides out from his side of the booth and steps over to him, still keeping that deep expression stamped to his face.

Cloud can’t tear his eyes away, even though he wants to so, so badly. He wants to scoot as far away from his best friend as he can and then shrink－shrink down so small that he could blend in with the dust and float his way out of this situation. He can’t even move. What makes him think he could perform all those things if he couldn’t even twitch a finger or force himself to consciously blink?

The pink blush that had once been faint on Zack’s face was anything _but_ now. In fact his face looked almost _red._ His brow still remains in that tight, conflicted furrow, but his eyes appear soft and gently lidded.

The booth creaks, groaning under sudden weight. Zack’s knee is on the booth. He’s leaned in and he’s so close to him he can almost smell the rum and soda tracing his every close breath.

He leans in close, closer, closer, _really close, okay why is he leaning in so close_ _－_

Zack’s lips are on his own.

…

…

_‘Ohmygoddesshe’sactuallykissingme?!? Oh my_ _－_ _wait, wait he’s actually_ _－_ _does that mean_ _－_ _’_

Oh, it… it feels good.

It feels even better than being tipsy.

But by the time his brain even registers that Zack’s kissing him because he (presumably at this point) likes him, he’s already pulled away.

Now there’s a deeper look on his face and it’s not confliction: it looks like guilt.

“I-I’m sorry… I thought that you might－”

Cloud presses his lips back to Zack’s, effectively stealing the sentence right out of his mouth. This time, he doesn’t blank. This time, he actually reacts as he should have.

His belly churns with a soothing, full warmth, and the butterflies in them intermingle with his drinks and dinner. He feels his skin break out into millions of chills as he moves his peachy lips across his best friend’s－a tight fire brewing in his mouth and squeezing his gut.

They keep returning the affection, kiss after kiss, practically making out with each other in the middle of the restaurant.

Cloud would’ve cared about it normally, (if he was sober, that is). But he’s tipsy (maybe on the cusp of drunk), and he doesn’t care about the public, or what anyone else might be seeing or thinking.

He’s just over the moon with joy.

It’s obvious now－his best friend likes him just the same as he does him.

They finally pull away and a breathless sigh follows from his part.

“So,” Zack’s voice is tender, but full of such raw emotion. “I guess you _do_ like me, huh?” He crookedly grins, flashing ivory whites his way.

Yes, yes of _fucking course_ he likes him! He’s liked him for nearly three solid years! He’s wanted to kiss him and touch him and everything else in between for almost _three years!_ But he doesn’t say that. Instead he nods, and his lips form the words of, “For almost three years now.”

“Really?” Zack’s tone raises a half-step, like he doesn’t believe that one bit. But his hands reach up and seek out Cloud’s face. Instead of mussing up his hair or giving him a noogie like he usually would, he cups that flushed face in his hands. “That’s funny, cause I’ve liked you since then too.”

Hearing that alone makes intense emotion brew in Cloud’s head, the alcohol only intensifying it.

All this time, after _all this time…_

They actually feel exactly the same about one another, and have felt that way for just as long. This better not be some sick, desperate dream that he’s going to wake up from any moment.

Just to be sure it’s not, he knows what to do.

He breaks his face out of Zack’s hands and dives back in to kiss him some more. His affection is greeted and returned eagerly, and they move their mouths in perfect, blissful tandem.

Cloud’s stomach twists fiercely and he wants nothing more than to just be closer. He wants to be so close they touch, so close they can feel their body heat radiating off the other, so close that even clothes feel like too much of a barrier.

Now that he knows he’s been accepted and reciprocated, he wants to let every last desire he’s ever suppressed to break out of the cage in his heart and drown him in them.

“Cloud,” Zack breathes against his mouth. His voice－oh, it’s so breathy and husky. His stomach twists so tight he can barely stand it. “Why don’t we… take this back to my place?”

Oh, abso- _fucking_ -lutely.

He breaks his face away to nod eagerly.

He’s not sure if his feelings are simply this intense, or if the alcohol is acting as an inhibitor and amplifying his emotions way beyond their normal levels.

No matter what it may be, he knows he wants this. He’s _wanted_ it for a long time. So he’s happy to oblige.

“Okay,” Zack says after one more quick peck. “Let’s go.”

They rush the entire way home, though they do it in an interesting manner. Zack’s got him wrapped up in his arms while they dash about to get back to get to Shin-Ra, placing quick, fervid kisses to his lips whenever he gets the chance.

When he’s not doing that, Cloud’s the one to show his affection, though hasty and sloppy as it may be. He trails his lips all over his broad neck, being sure not to do anything more than that. (At least in public that is.)

They manage to rush their way into Shin-Ra, through the lobby, and into the elevators that way. Then when the elevator doors close and it starts to ascend, they start kissing one another over and over wherever they can; lips, neck, cheeks, the whole nine yards.

Those actions only stop when the elevator stops moving and dings out the correct floor. (Thankfully no one else really goes out on a Monday night.) From there it’s down the hall, unlock the front door, and barge inside.

The moment the door closes, they don’t restrain themselves at all.

Cloud eagerly sucks at Zack’s neck, the alcohol making him not care about what sounds come out of his mouth, so he’s pretty much lightly or breathlessly whining with every peck and suckle now. He keeps doing it even as he’s lead out of the living room and straight into the bedroom as Zack’s deep, husky noises of approval echo in his ears. They don’t even stop to turn any of the lights on. (Not that it matters though, a lamp in the bedroom is already on when they walk in.)

They move about for a moment, then his face is pulled away from that broad neck he’s having fun sloppily marking. He makes a pitiful, squeaky noise of protest at the notion. But the lack of touch is gone for only a moment.

He’s eased onto the queen-sized bed and within moments of that Zack eases himself down and presses his body against his, wedging his way in between his legs and hunkering down as close as he can. The blissful, fuddled kissing starts up again, igniting across their mouths and gliding over that soft, plump skin. Cloud’s head is practically swimming with emotion and hot, blurry bliss.

Then his frame is rocked against, friction tight as lower halves grind against the other. Even through the clothes, it feels heavenly and Cloud opens his mouth, letting out airy noises of approval. The rough grinding, the pushing of their bodies together while they make out is all they need－heat pools to their groins and they both stiffen, getting ready for the main course.

He can barely wait. He’s wanted a moment like this for way too long. Tipsy, drunk, or sober, it doesn’t matter. He lost count of how many times he’s dreamed up a situation exactly like this, waking up flustered and stressed after.

Now, it’s finally within his blurry, tingling reaches.

He kisses back with fierce intensity, then dares his tongue to gently part Zack’s lips and he dives in－seeking out the sweetest, wettest spots he could find. His mouth is groaned into as a tongue gently brushes around his lips before meeting with his. Locked by the lips with tongues intermingling, heat circulating through their cores and hardening them up.

Cloud squeezes his legs around Zack’s bulky frame, draws him in and increases the pressure in their groins. His head swims all the while, vision slightly blurring and stomach twisting tightly.

The wet kiss pulls apart, tongues gently coated with the other’s natural taste and they moan out equal noises of approval.

“Oh, Cloud… you don’t know how badly I’ve wanted this…” Zack whispers against his soft lips and kisses them again. “For years…” He pecks his lips during every pause. “Ever since I became your mentor… ever since we started training… I’ve wanted you… just- like- this-”

To hear those words, to actually _hear_ them. They stir up heavy emotion in his chest and gut, only serving to further add a mixture of feelings to his muddled mind.

All this time, Zack’s wanted him as badly as he’s wanted _him._

How had they been so oblivious? So blind?

“Zack,” Cloud breathes, inhaling sharply when those that skilled mouth starts to suck the side of his neck, right behind his ear. “I wish I got－ _nnnh_ _－_ this drunk sooner, so we could’ve done thi－ _hh_ _－_ s sooner…” (It’s hard to talk while having a sensitive spot on his neck sucked.)

Then his eyes blur and black creeps into the corners of his eyes. Funny－this’s never happened before…

Does all of this touch and emotion overwhelm his body? Or is it the alcohol starting to wipe away his conscious mind?

When black fully takes over his sight, he knows it’s the alcohol.

And the last thing he feels before he blacks out is Zack beginning to trail his kisses down his neck…  
  


* * *

  
Cloud’s head is so heavy… he feels so groggy and stiff… and his eyes are so heavy that he can’t even open them.

Did he fall asleep or something?

He shifts, and every muscle in his body aches and tears. The stiff pain actually allows his heavy eyelids to part.

Ooh he regrets that _so_ much－everything is so bright and blurry and washed in blinding morning daylight, and it makes a sharp pain shoot all throughout his head. He raises heavy limbs and rubs his hands over his bleary eyes, hoping maybe he could rub the pain away.

When he pulls his hands back, his eyes slightly clear and the blur lifts and suddenly he sees he’s most certainly _not_ in his infantry barracks. When he shifts the rest of him, he notices he’s under thick bed-sheets, but something else is amiss…

His eyes bug and he lifts those blankets up, then makes a strangled gasp at the state he finds himself in.

He’s completely naked.

Feeling exposed, he quickly wraps those blankets around his body as tight as he can as a hot red blush splotches across his face.

Why is he naked?? And _where is he??_

Cloud’s mortified eyes quickly glance around, scoping out his environment. He’s obviously in a bed, in a bedroom, and it’s morning, and this bedroom actually looks kind of familiar now that he’s looking around…

Slowly, hesitantly, his eyes roll over to his right. His mortification grows exponentially and the blush on his face trails all the way down to his chest.

Zack is sleeping right beside him－ _but he’s completely naked too!!_

Oooohh Gaia what did they _do_ last night?? Why can’t he _remember_ what happened last night??

Oh Gaia, _please_ don’t tell him he did something stupid! Don’t tell him he actually _had sex with his best friend!_ That crosses _so many_ lines!! Lines he never even _dreamed_ would be crossed! Oh he hopes with all his might he didn’t ruin everything they had!

As if able to sense his distress even in sleep, Zack’s eyes scrunch tight for a moment, then slowly part open. He blinks once, twice, and then a tired smile stretches over his face. “Good morning~” He sleepily sings.

Cloud doesn’t even give himself time to process the situation and he spews his hectic concerns. “Z-Zack?? Wh-What’s going on, why am I in your flat a-and wh-why are we naked??”

“Huh?” Zack’s groggy voice rumbles.

“What happened last night, Zack?? Did I…? Did _we…??_ ”

“...Have sex?” Zack’s voice fills the interpretive silence as he sits up. “Yeah, we did.”

Cloud’s eyes grow even wider and now his skin is turning ghoulishly white. “I- I’m _so_ sorry!” He stutters. “I don’t know why or how or what happened but I should have _never_ crossed that line with you!” He hides his face behind his hands.

He’s ruined everything.

Their friendship? Gone. Their mentorship? Probably forever tainted. He must have coerced him into having relations last night somehow.

His best friend tilts his head to the right with a puzzled look on his face. “Do you… not remember what happened last night?”

“Do I _look_ like I do??”

But then a bright smile eases over his face. (Cloud feels so confused by that.) Then a hand reaches out and runs through his hair, across his forehead, and down his cheek where it lingers. “Well, we－actually, technically _you_ _－_ got super drunk last night during dinner after our usual training session, and then… we kissed.”

They… _kissed??_

“And then after that we uh, made out and, well－made love I guess?” Zack laughs after he says that.

_They made out and then freakin’ boned???_

“I－” Cloud tries to say something, but the moment he opens his mouth and makes a sound, his brain instantly blanks.

“Cloud, you don’t have to freak out.” Then another hand reaches up and cups his other cheek. He smiles a big, bright smile that rivals the warmth of the sun. “I like you, silly goose.”

He… his best friend… his mentor… his most important person in his life… actually _likes_ him??

“Y-You… like me…?”

Zack nods. “Yeah!”

“We kissed… and had sex… and… you like me?”

“Um, yeah? Thought I already said that.”

Emotion, heavy and powerful, brews in Cloud’s eyes and makes them water. “You mean… this whole time, _all_ this time… we’ve liked each other?”

“I guess we have, Spike－we were just too dumb to see it until we got drunk last night.”

“...Can I… kiss you?”

He’s not given a verbal response. Instead, Zack leans in and gives him a soft, sweet kiss straight to his lips. It’s so gentle and tender that his eyes flutter closed and his stomach tightens.

The heat, the sweet passion… it unlocks something in his head and a fuzzy memory of them kissing in the restaurant plays back behind his closed eyes. Then the memory of them making out on the way back follow that, finally finishing with them having drunk, sloppy sex.

They pull away after a moment.

“I think… I remember now.” Cloud smirks.

“That’s good! Though I’m pretty sure your ass is gonna remember for _days_.”

He rolls his eyes and punches Zack’s arm as hard as he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all know what time it is now! That's right, it's - *quickly changes into game-show host outfit and drops a bunch of confetti* - Special Shout-Out Time~! Yeaaaa~!! 😄
> 
> For all of you who left kudos:  
> Bakatian, Simtorta, Kururii, SmidgenThinks, BleedingVampier7, Yunasuki, twitchypici, Jurrassica, poppytewix, Loki_chan, cocosnest3, juneedes, SailorSeraphim, loviv, RredRose, cloudnibelheims, kwiksatik, Banapples2018, too_addicted_to_fiction, Lovelylittlelonely99, SukiHeart, AWildStarRoamingTheUniverse, kawaiijilli, Seer_of_Soul, SunnyCrossedOut, Corydalis_Lutea, s0mnambulist, RoxasJinsei, and shardsofstrife and you 17 guests...  
> Thank you so so much~! *flips table out of joy and throws confetti everywhere* 🎉✨😊
> 
> And to you all who took the time to reach out to me:  
> shardsofstrife, J., Jurrassica, Jakeyboylove, Jimpo, alyssabang, loviv, Banapples2018, too_addicted_to_fiction, and SmidgenThinks,   
> Your words mean more than you could ever know! (As they always do haha!) You guys really encourage me to do more and to do better, and I can't thank you enough! Really! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜💗🥰
> 
> Thank you so much everyone! Hopefully I'll see you in the next fic! (Though just a warning now, it will be a bit darker, but will have some lighthearted moments carefully seasoned in)
> 
> Take care~! 🥰  
> (And to anyone who finds this story late, please keep letting me know what you think, I guarantee you I'll see it ♥)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope it had a good start, and that you enjoyed it as well! 😊  
> Next chapter tomorrow~!


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